Suter’s Showbiz Spotlight

Fine Music in The Hills

The line-up of talent for next week’s Music in the Hills event in Hilton looks like a good one.

The semi-open-mic music club meets fortnightly, on Wednesdays, at The Knoll Historic Guest Farm, Knoll Drive, Hilton. Doors open at 6pm and the music flows from an hour later. Admission is R40 at the door.

The headliner act performing from 9pm at the February 13 event will be singer-songwriter Cheryl Joelson (pictured above, picture by Carryn Clicks Photography) whose style has been compared with that of Joni Mitchell, Brandi Carlisle, Civil Wars, Cranberries and Taylor Swift.

She started singing and performing from the age of nine and spent several years singing in studio as a session singer.

“Cheryl draws on her life experiences to craft poetry that forms the lyrical basis of her heartfelt and memorable songs. Her style of music can be described as folk/rock with hints of country,” says a spokesman.

The South African duo Connecting Stars was officially launched by Cheryl in 2012, creating her own brand of folk-rock. Since 2013, they have gained success locally as well as abroad.

Folk-rock

Cheryl also collaborated with Headliner and Rasadon, the founding members of the multi-Grammy-winning band Arrested Development and they wrote a song together titled A Change is Coming.

Cheryl recently performed with Nibs Van Der Spuy at his album launch, and has also performed with Tresor, Riziky and John Ellis.

Performing from 8pm on January 13 will be The Name On The Drum, an alternative rock, folk-indie band that focuses on original music, but also performs a variety of covers.

“Playing as a duo or trio and varying the sound from full electric to simple acoustics, The Name On The Drum uses all the tools at their disposal to create a unique blend of honest, thought provoking song-writing with absorbing musical performances.”

With influences that include, Rise Against, Bob Dylan, Frightened Rabbit and The National, the Hillcrest-based group’s songwriting also creates awareness of current world issues.

When the band was formed in 2011 the plan was to have a different “name on the drum” at each performance, now they simply go by The Name On The Drum or TNOTD. Band members are Ben Bruzas (guitar, vocals), Liam Barnard (bass) and Nat Bruzas (drums, vocals).

The 7pm attraction will be Hyde and the Resistance, a Durban rock trio drawing influence from The Black Keys, Arctic Monkeys, Switchfoot, Muse and others.

Chloe Clark performs at Durban’s Jazzy Rainbow in Morningside from 7pm on Saturday, February 9.

Meanwhile, if you are a lover of jazz, it’s worth noting that popular singer Chloe Clark is performing at Durban’s Jazzy Rainbow, 93 Smiso Nkwanyana Road, Morningside, from 7pm on Saturday (February 9).

She will perform with Nick Pitman on acoustic guitar, Llewelyn Chetty on double bass and Burton Naidoo on piano.

Clark draws inspiration from many of her favourite artists, among them London Grammar, Diana Krall, Madeleine Peyroux, Kimbra, Billie Holiday and Imogen Heap.

Admission is R100 and includes a drink. Bookings can be made by calling 021 303 8398.

This performance by Clark forms part of the Concerts SA Venue Circuit which aims to foster a love and support for live music in our communities, as well as anchor small and medium-sized venues in urban and rural KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Western Cape.

Vivacious

Clark is a dynamic and vivacious songstress who, at the age of 11, formed her first band and has been filling the air with her beautiful music and infectious energy ever since. She has developed a reputation in Durban’s jazz, theatre and corporate entertainment scene, with a string of accomplishments to her name.

She has performed with the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra, appeared as backup vocalist for Ronan Keating, sang on Majozi’s first EP and has shared stages with Gangs of Ballet, Joseph Clark, Arno Carstens and many others.

Clark made her TV debut in 2014 by making it to the Top 30 on Idols SA, and more recently was part of South Africa’s first season of The Voice South Africa, where she was in the team led by Kahn Morbee of The Parlotones.

Last year saw the release of her jazz album, She Encountered Wonderland. The album is currently making waves in jazz communities worldwide.

Still on the music scene, it is worth noting that Durban teens Marianthe Panas and Bernelee Frick, backed by The Shizam band, will present Listen this weekend – an acclaimed show saluting musical theatre hits.

It is headed for Durban’s Rhumbelow Theatre in Cunningham Road, Umbilo, at 8pm on Friday and Saturday (February 8 and 9) and 2pm on Sunday (February 10). Tickets cost R150 (R130 for pensioners and students with cards) and booking is at Computicket outlets or by calling Roland Stansell at 082 499 8636.

You might also want to know that The Black Lapels, with guest guitarist Rusty Red, perform The Hits this weekend – at the Kloof branch of the Rhumbelow Theatre, at Tina’s Hotel, in Beryldene Road.

Scheduled for performances at 8pm on Friday and Saturday (February 8 and 9) and 3pm on Sunday (February 10), The Hits is a retrospective of the body of work covered by the ever-evolving Black Lapels.

Tickets for The Hits cost R150 each (R130 for pensioners and students with cards). Booking is at Computicket outlets or, for large group bookings, via Roland at 082 499 8636.

Ian von Memerty and Gino Fabbri in Common and Class, at Durban’s Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre until February 17.

Common and Class

On the theatre scene, Durban is presenting a new show by Ian von Memerty who, now teamed with Port Elizabeth comedian and musician Gino Fabbri, is staging Common and Class at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre until February 17.

The premise of the show is that dim-witted Common saunters on stage while Class performs a song and announces he wants to do a variety show with him for reasons related to a romantic entanglement. This is the cue for a scramble of song, jokes, slapstick and dance.

Sure to be the best choice among new movies in cinemas countrywide this weekend is Can You Ever Forgive Me?, for which Melissa McCarthy has received an Oscar nomination as best actress and Swaziland-born actor Richard E Grant has an Oscar nod as best supporting actor.

The film, also nominated for its adapted screenplay, tells of author Lee Israel who, when she falls out of step with current tastes, turns her art form to deception.

SHOWBIZ TRIVIA:Do you know? Who had a hit in the late ’60s with Wand’rin’ Star from the movie musical Paint Your Wagon? (Answer next week).Last week’s question: What was the first animated movie to be nominated for the Best Picture Oscar? (Answer: Beauty and the Beast).